Bible Teaching about Language: Cursing, Profanity,
and Obscenity

"Watch Your Language!"What speech is proper or improper according to the Bible? Should we use cursing, profanity, obscenity, or swearing?

Does language and the use of our tongues matter? Does God care if we use curse words or obscene or profane speech?

Introduction:
The use of profane and obscene speech is an increasing problem.

I once received a newspaper column in which a woman discussed whether
parents should allow little children to use swear words. She cited a woman
"theologian" who said the Bible nowhere condemns swearing. She
concluded there is really nothing wrong with it, unless your children use
such language around people who would be offended.

Some people have long used profanity and obscenity privately when they
are angry, disgusted, or excited. Some use it for emphasis. Some enjoy
suggestive or off-color jokes. With others the practice is just a habit.
Unfortunately, this is even true of some professing Christians.

More recently, such speech has become common, not just in private, but
also in public and in the mass media. Finding a TV show, movie, or novel
that does not use it is nearly impossible, even in so-called "family
entertainment." Social media have gone so far as to give such
expressions code abbreviations, so people can use profanity without having
to type it out! Some professing Christians carelessly copy and distribute on
their pages messages that include it.

Perhaps most objectionable of all, many school teachers and textbooks use
such language, and reading assignments may be filled with it. When parents
complain, often other people never realize how bad the problem really is,
because the language is so bad that the media refuses to print actual
quotations: the language violates the media's code of decency. And you
know it has to be bad when you consider what they do publish!

Some defend such language on grounds of "freedom of speech" and
"academic freedom." But even if all this is legal, that does not
make it moral or acceptable to God. Public media and especially schools must
realize that what they publish tends to mold the character of the audience,
especially children. If the media does not affect people's conduct, why do
companies spend millions of dollars to advertise there?

The purpose of this study is to examine such language in light of the
Bible.

Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your moth, but what
is good for necessary edification. The Bible definitely does discuss improper
speech, including swearing.

But some people place all improper speech in the category of
"swearing," but don't realize that much speech is improper for
other reasons. Others just assume that everyone knows what kind of language is
wrong. The result is that many people who object to improper language do not
know how to defend their view from Scripture.

When we look closer, we will find several ways speech may be improper
according to God's word. So, notice the Bible teaching about the following
types of speech:

Cursing

Definitions and Examples

"Curse ... An appeal or prayer for evil or injury to befall
someone ... To invoke evil, calamity, or injury upon..." (The American
Heritage Dictionary, abbreviated AHD)

So, we curse someone anytime we say that we wish harm would happen to them.
Examples:

A curse in an ancient idol's temple read: May the god strike X and Y with
dumbness and impotence because they caused A to lose his job. (Illustrated
Wonders and Discoveries of the Bible, Alan Millard, p154)

"Hell ... the place or state of punishment of the wicked after
death ..." (RHCD)

So, we are cursing when we use the above words or similar language that
expresses the desire for people to receive harm. Included are such statements
as, "I wish he'd drop dead," etc.

Bible Teaching

Luke 6:27,28 - We should love our enemies, do good to those who hate us,
and bless those who curse us. Christians should love all people,
and love requires us to hope they receive what is good for them, not that they
be harmed (Rom. 13:8-10).

Romans 12:14,17-21 - Do not curse others, not even those
who persecute you, but rather bless them. Do not return evil for evil or seek
vengeance, but do good and leave vengeance to God. God will punish those who
sin against us, if they do not repent.

Cursing is a violation of love because it wishes harm on others. We should
not even curse our enemies, so clearly we may not curse anyone at all.
Instead, we should bless, which means to wish for good to come to others.

Our job is simply to warn evildoers what God's word teaches. In doing
this, we may properly use some of these Bible words ("curse,"
"hell," etc.) that describe the punishment God will bring on the
wicked. But we must remember that God Himself will curse the wicked in the
proper time and manner according to His justice and wisdom. We must let Him
handle this.

James 3:9-12 - Since man was made in God's image, to bless God and curse
man would be self-contradictory, like a fountain that gives both sweet and
bitter water. We must not curse man any more than we may curse God.

Profanity

Definitions and Examples

"Profane ... Showing contempt or irreverence toward God or
sacred things..." (AHD). Profanity involves referring to anything holy in
a way that mocks or ridicules it, or otherwise fails to show proper respect or
reverence for it. (Note that, technically, cursing and profanity do not mean
the same. A person may be profane without cursing, and vice-versa.)

Some people profane the names of God (God, Jesus, Christ, Jehovah, Lord) by
using them as expressions of anger or disgust or in a light, flippant way.
Likewise, others profane sacred things such as: hell, the destiny of the
wicked; heaven, the dwelling place of God; or the Scriptures, the word of God.

Another problem is the practice of referring disrespectfully to acts of
worship such as prayer, the words of spiritual songs, and various Bible
phrases (such as "hallelujah," which means "praise
Jehovah"). Sometimes people pervert the teaching of Scripture to make a
joke.

Bible Teaching

Ezekiel 22:26 - Priests were guilty of profaning God's
holy things, making no distinction between what was holy and what was common.
So, to treat holy things as though they are common is to profane them. This
passage refers especially to profaning God's word and worship. (See also
Lev. 10:10.)

Exodus 20:7 - "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
"Vain" means empty, meaningless, without proper respect and
reverence. To refer to God's name in such a way would be profanity.

Leviticus 19:12 - You shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane
the name of your God. Contrary to the article mentioned earlier, Jesus said,
"do not swear at all" (Matthew 5:34). And much common speech
includes the frivolous swearing that Jesus forbids.

Matthew 6:9 - "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed
be thy name." A name stands for a person. Since God is holy and reverend,
so also is His name. To profane God's name by using it as a term of anger or
disgust is to disrespect God Himself. [Psalm 111:9]

1 Timothy 1:9-11 - "Profane" conduct is contrary
to sound doctrine just like murder, fornication, etc. The word here translated
"unholy" also includes the idea of disrespect for holy
things. Vine defines it "profane." Moffatt translates it
"irreverent."

Romans 1:18 - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness..." Titus 2:12 adds that the grace of God teaches us to
deny ungodliness. "Ungodly" means "want of reverence, respect
... piety toward God" (Thayer). So profanity is ungodly.

When a person takes the holy name of God or other sacred things, and uses
them as nothing more than common expressions of anger and disgust, that person
is ungodly and profane. Is your speech profane, or do you show proper respect
for God and sacred things?

(See also Lev. 18:21; Luke 1:49.)

Obscenity

Definitions and Examples

Often jokes and humor contain sexual suggestions that tend to arouse lust.
Some expressions of disgust or anger indecently refer to reproductive acts or
to bodily processes of purification or to the private parts of the body
involved in these acts.

(Note again that, technically, obscenity is different from cursing and
profanity.)

Bible Teaching

Mark 7:20-23; Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 13:13,14 - Lasciviousness, like
murder or fornication, etc., is a sin that proceeds from the heart and defiles
the man. Those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God, so we
should avoid making provision to fulfill this lust of the flesh.

Note that "lascivious" has the same definition as
"obscene." Words or jokes are obscene or lascivious when they tend
to cause lustful thoughts or take pleasure in improper sexual desires.

Matthew 5:27,28; 18:6,7; 1 Timothy 2:9,10 - Whoever looks on a woman to
lust after her has committed adultery with her in his heart. Women should not
tempt men to commit this sin by dressing or acting in a manner that would be
suggestive.

Not only are people wrong if they have an unlawful sexual union, but they
are also wrong if they desire to do such or if they take
pleasure in thoughts of such (fantasizing). Not only are women wrong if they
indecently expose themselves, but men are also wrong if they take pleasure in
thoughts of seeing such. Furthermore, jokes or expressions are wrong if they
tempt people to have such thoughts. (See also Prov. 6:25; 4:23.)

Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:8 - Practices we should avoid include
"filthiness" and "jesting" (KJV). Other translations for
"filthiness" are "obscenity" (New International Version,
Vine) and "indecency" (Goodspeed). Other translations for
"jesting" are "coarse jesting" (New American Standard
Version, New King James, Vine), "crude joking" (English Standard
Version), "suggestive jesting" (Williams).

Words, jokes, or expressions are "obscene" when they are sexually
suggestive or when they make a joke or expression of disgust by vulgar
reference to things should be kept private. Not only are we wrong if we use
such speech, but we are also wrong if we "have pleasure in" those
who do so. This would include laughing at or enjoying being entertained by
people who use such language (Rom. 1:32; 2 John 9-11; 1 Tim. 5:22; Eph. 5:11).

Is your speech pure, or is it characterized by obscenities and filthiness?

Substitution of Altered Forms (Euphemisms)

Definitions and Examples

"Euphemism ... the substitution of a mild, indirect or vague
expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt..." (RHCD).

People who are angry or upset, will sometimes use altered forms of a word
in place of the curse, profanity, or obscenity. Yet the substitute means the
same, is used the same way, sounds similar, and is obviously an altered form
of the objectionable word.

"dem" (found rarely in British literature) - "Is he in
heaven or is he in hell, that demmed elusive pimpernel? (Scarlet Pimpernel).
The word sounds similar, is used the same, and is obviously an altered form of
"damn." If the curse word is wrong, is the substitute right?

Bible Teaching

The point is not that all expressions of surprise are wrong, nor that all
euphemisms are wrong. Not all euphemisms are substitutes for bad words. We
often substitute words that mean the same as perfectly good words. We may say
someone "passed away" instead of saying he died. If it is not wrong
to say he died, why would it be wrong to say he passed away?

But if the substitute means the same as a bad word, is used
in the same way, even sounds similar and is obviously just an alteration of a
bad word, then how can it be right to use the substitute in place of the bad
word? Why wouldn't all the Bible principles that condemn the improper word
likewise condemn the substitute?

Someone may respond, "But that's not what I mean when I use those
words." Granted, some people may not think about the meaning and so may
use them without realizing what they mean. But what about our influence on
people who do know what they mean?

Matthew 18:6,7; 1 Timothy 4:12 - Christians must always consider the way
our conduct affects others (especially young people and new converts), so we
do not tempt them to sin. Many people do know the meaning of these words, and
many of the words sound so much like their original meaning that they are
easily recognizable with just a little thought.

1 Corinthians 8 - Paul discussed the practice of pagans who used banquets
in their temples as a form of worship to their idols. Eating meat that had
been sacrificed to the idol was as act of worship. A person who knew the truth
may think the idol is just a hunk of metal, but the meat is good food. So he
can eat the meat in the temple, and to him it is just food.

But to people who are accustomed to idolatry, that act is worship to the
idol. If a person sees a Christian eating that meat in the temple, he
reasonably concludes that the Christian is doing the same thing everyone
around him is doing: worshiping the idol. So he eats too; but he does it as
worship to the idol, which would be sinful. Note vv 9-13 - The Christian has
become guilty of sin because he influenced someone else to sin.

Compare this to the use of these substitute words. Like the man eating the
meat in the idol's temple, you may think you don't mean it that way. But
this is what the words mean, and they are so similar to the bad words that it
is quite reasonable to make the connection. So a young person, non-Christian,
or weak Christian, may hear you use the words; so he picks up the expression,
as people often do. But he knows what they mean and he concludes it must be OK
to use them this way, because you do it. So, because of your influence, he uses them knowing what they
mean, or violating his conscience or his parents' authority . The principle is the same as eating the meat in the idol's
temple.

Matthew 12:36,37 - Remember, we will be judged even for our idle words -
those we think are the least significant.

Conclusion

Christians should consider carefully the effect of our words, especially in
times of anger, frustration, or surprise. Here are some questions we should
ask to help us apply the lessons we have considered:

1) Do I have my temper under control? In a calmer moment, after second
thoughts, would I think it proper to use this word or joke? (Ephesians 4:26;
James 1:19,20)

2) Will this hinder my influence for Christ?

3) Does it bother my conscience to say this? (Rom. 14:23)

4) Will this be beneficial to those who hear, or will it draw them away
from Christ? (Eph. 4:29; Colossians 4:5,6)

5) Do my words express love for others? Do I truly desire them to receive
what is good for them?

6) Does my speech show proper respect for the name of God and all that is
holy?

7) Are my thoughts and motives pure? Am I causing myself or others to dwell
on thoughts a Christian should not take pleasure in? (Phil. 4:8)